Let Us In-ICRC Tells Sri Lanka Government
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has appealed to the Sri Lankan government urging once again for full access to the internally displaced camps in the country’s north, according to a report in the Colombo newspaper The Sunday Leader, of Nov 8th, 2009:
The report as follows:
By Raisa Wickrematunge
ICRC Spokesperson Sarasi Wijeratne said the organisation has had no access to these IDP camps since July this year. “Discussions are however underway with government authorities to obtain access to these camps,” she said.
The ICRC on July 9 announced that it would “scale down” its operations, withdrawing expatriate staff, and shutting down operations in the Eastern Province. This was in response to a request from the government, following the victory over the LTTE.
In the same press release the ICRC stressed their willingness to “address the humanitarian needs,” of the IDPs, as well as newly resettled people.
“We are trying to ascertain the future role that the ICRC] will play in the country’s future activities,” Wijeratne said. [thesundayleader.lk]
